I started out as an ironworker in 1957, when I was 16. I fought my way up, beginning with an actual fistfight that was initiation for getting into the local union. For somebody born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, I take pride in the fact I put up every skyscraper antenna in my hometown: Sears Tower, Hancock Tower, Marina Towers, you name it. You can also see my work in skylines across the country and around the world.

These boots walked 12-inch beams 1,000 feet off the ground.

Sure, it is dangerous. To go a hundred stories up in extreme weather to install massive steel pieces with nothing to stop your fall, you need to be tough and sure on your feet. And half crazy. But the other half of you needs to be smart and aware at all times. In my thousands of jobs over the last 50 years, I’ve seen too many workers fail but I managed to only lose one finger.

I have installed parabolic dishes for NASA and worked in the middle of hurricanes. But the original Sears Tower antenna job in the 70s still stands out as one of the toughest.

It was the dead of winter and temperatures weren’t getting above zero. I was on the roof of the world’s tallest building looking out over countless small antennas that were already installed and couldn’t be moved. This meant we had to find a different way to get our antenna pieces up there than the conventional hoisting engine and gin pole approach. One good thing about this approach is that you can easily shut down operations for the day if conditions get too rough.

For this install, the City Commissioner set us up with an expert pilot manning a giant Sikorsky helicopter: a ‘crane in the sky’ built specifically for this kind of work. This meant the job had to get done regardless of the weather. The helicopter brought in all the iron piece by piece as me and my crew found the best footing in high winds and extreme cold — plus no safety belt, which nobody wore back then because it took too long to tie in.

Somehow that job got done safely. I signed my name at the base, which I would end up doing after every successful install. I would also display the American flag next to each completed job, which was my way of honoring the American workers who built this country and keep it going every day.

It doesn’t take much special gear to do what I do. Just lots of layers when it’s cold and a good pair of work boots since footing is so important, which for me have always been Red Wings. I started wearing 877s after my first couple paychecks came in, long before a picture in the Chicago Tribune would lead to Red Wing using me in one of their most famous ad campaigns.

Over the years, a lot of people have asked why I do this. The answer is simple: because it’s fun. I have always looked forward to the next job, which must mean I love what I do. Now I’m pushing 80, but I still belong to the Ironworkers 1 Local in Chicago just in case I get the call.

I started wearing Red Wings because of my Dad, the hardest-working guy I’ve ever known. As a proud member of the Communication Workers of America, he put in 35 years as a service troubleshooter and installer for Bell. He climbed poles fixing telephone lines in the rain, sleet, and snow. It was something he loved to do.

An enduring symbol of an honest day’s work.

When he was working, my Dad started and ended his days the same way: by lacing and unlacing his work boots. Come to think of it, he still does this in retirement.

Considering the time and space between my father and me, it’s surprising how much alike we are. We’re both dedicated union members who love putting in the work to keep things running like they should. And we both know that special feeling of accomplishment you get after a long day on the job.

I’m now in my 24th year at Coca-Cola Bottling. I’ve spent the last 19 years in Fountain Service, installing and servicing soda systems. And just like my father so many years before me, I start and end the day lacing and unlacing my Red Wings.

Until recently, I wore 2231s because of their ankle support. Now I wear steel-toed loggers because my job takes me into bars, restaurants, and construction areas that can be wet and slippery. These boots give me great traction. They never fail me when I need them to perform.

To me, Red Wing symbolizes the hardworking American, through and through. And I know from experience why so many workers wear only Red Wing boots.

I grew up around Red Wing boots. My dad was an industrial electrician and he wore his every day. He bought me my first pair when I turned 18, a pair of 1178s.

These boots helped launch a career.

Those boots not only got me through my summer work, they may have gotten me a jump on my career. I wore them to my first job fair out of college. The event was ‘dress casual,’ so I had some second thoughts about wearing work boots there. But I had hurt my back in a car accident, and I could walk around in my Red Wings with the least amount of pain.

Turns out I made the right call. The recruiter noticed my boots right away. He must’ve thought I was one of them, somebody who has worked the fields. Because that connection led to an interview and eventually my first job at a chemical plant outside New Orleans.

I did all kinds of different work after that. Building power plants and chemical plants. Working the oil fields and working around the clock on refinery shutdowns. Doing top-side construction for an offshore production platform that produced 50,000 barrels a day. And planning one of three deep-water oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

Through it all, Red Wings have been my go-to boots. They’re really comfortable and last forever. They’re made in the USA, too. I still swear by them to this day, 20 years after they probably landed me that first job.

Whether I’m up on a powerline or trenching underground cable, I like to make sure every job gets done right. But this is about more just than the work. At the end of the day, it’s about helping people when they need it.

These boots weathered the storm.

When Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast in 2012, eight million people lost power. More than 57,000 utility workers from 30 states and Canada joined disaster relief efforts to restore the utilities. I was one of 400 volunteers from my company that went to help. There was a major shortage of hotel rooms, which meant living in a tent city for a couple weeks until rooms opened up.

The devastation was unimaginable, from streets littered with parts of houses to turned-over cars and broken electrical poles. You couldn’t step anywhere without putting your boot in standing water or muck. On the ground were nails, metal siding and many other hazards that could send you home early. But me and my crew looked out for each other and got through 25 long days. That’s when we finally had a chance to step back, take a breath, and take some satisfaction in the difference we made.

I got my first pair of Red Wing SuperSole boots a few months before Hurricane Sandy hit. I think those boots played a big part in getting me through that challenging month. Their soles are incredibly tough and versatile, with great grip. And they’re comfortable enough to get me through 16-hour days.

But more than anything, my Red Wings got me home safely. As a father of four girls, I think about my family every day. And investing a little extra in the best equipment to stay safe is a small price to pay.

I’m a carpenter by trade and am currently a senior project superintendent. I’ve worked in commercial construction for 40 years, in 10 states, building everything from hotels and casinos to athletic facilities and housing projects.

These boots made it to the big screen.

My work also includes several medical facilities and hospitals such as the Shriners Hospital for Children at the University of Minnesota. I’m most proud of the work I did on that project, because I know lives are literally being saved in that building.

While on a jobsite early in my career, I complained that my feet hurt. My foreman, a seasoned carpenter, recommended Red Wing boots. I’ve been wearing them ever since.

I’ve tried several brands over the years, but find I always come back to Red Wing. I now own approximately 10 pairs of boots for work, hunting and motorcycling. When traveling, I wear slip-on Red Wing shoes for going through airport security.

I prefer the Red Wing 877 boots with the crepe wedge sole for work. I always buy two pairs and rotate them. They’re easy to break in and easy on my back since they don’t have heels. I wear them all day at work and occasionally on the weekends.

A local store that sells Red Wing boots filmed a commercial at one of my jobsites in 2010 and I was asked to participate in filming. The commercial ran at Minnesota Twins baseball games one season. I never saw the commercial myself. However, my family and friends said it looked great up on the Jumbotron.

I am a 60-year-old American worker. I started out as a boilermaker and then got into ironworking, specializing in metal buildings, oilrigs and hospitals.

These boots saved 10 toes.

I bought my first pair of Red Wings for construction on the Ballpark at Arlington, home of the Texas Rangers baseball team, in the early 90s. Those boots felt right on my feet that whole job. I hooked up cranes and did lots of welding, working way up high. Everyone who did construction signed a metal beam that now hangs above a main entrance. I didn’t follow the Rangers before that job, but I’m a fan now.

I also did construction and ironworking for two massive roller coasters at Six Flags Over Texas: Mr. Freeze and Titan. The whole crew gave it 110 percent for six days a week until the job was done. We were thanked for our work with a day of endless rides on Titan before it opened to the public. My son got in at least 15, but four was enough for me.

But those rides were nothing compared to what happened to me about two years ago. I was doing welding work on a 1350-lb. metal curved yoke when it suddenly fell off the table, bounced off the concrete floor and landed on both my feet. It took a crane to get that yoke off them.

Luckily my Red Wings had both steel toes and metal guards over the top of my feet. I thought I was going to lose my toes, but I’m walking today. And to my amazement, my boots were no worse for the wear.

This story starts with my father. He was a living example of someone who puts in a hard day’s work. He stood tall in the eyes of his son, the first man I ever knew who could fill a pair of Red Wing boots.

History made, history repeated.

Back in the 80s, Dad worked as a drilling consultant on Parker Oil rig 201 in western Oklahoma. It was one of the world’s largest land rigs at the time. But the oil eventually dried up at that location, and the rig moved somewhere else.

I also learned the oil trade. After I got good at guiding a tool thousands of feet into the ground, I took my skills and saw the world. I worked jobs in Canada, England, Vietnam, Africa, Qatar and all across the USA. Also like my father, I did it all in Red Wings — 2231s for me, because they offer great traction and are good in the mud, rain and snow. I got a lot of wear out of every pair.

Twenty years into it, I got called to a rig in western Wyoming to help with pumping cement down a well to create a permanent hole to work from. I’d done this procedure many times. But for this job, we were going to use a new reverse-circulating method. If it worked, we would set a new world record for the deepest hole ever cemented this way.

When I stepped on that rig, it didn’t take long to hit me. The name and paint job were different, but sure enough: number 201. This was the same rig my father worked on years ago in Oklahoma. Dad was no longer with us, but I know he was watching. And I made extra sure we set the world record to make him proud.

At the last industry downturn, I got reassigned at my company and started climbing wind turbines. I needed a boot that weighed less and had more stability, so I retired my 2231s and wore Red Wing 6674s.

I’m up 300 feet on a typical day. This is a challenge in itself, and it’s even harder when you have a fear of heights like me. But I do okay by never looking down and staying focused on the work. And I think of my daughter, who faces a lifelong health issue with incredible courage and grit. If she can handle what’s on her plate, I think, then I can do this. And I do.

I’ve done a lot of different work over the years. I put my back and heart into all of it, always in Red Wing boots. I now own 18 pairs.

These boots lived in a very crowded closet.

I started out on the farm in eight-inch lace-ups. Then I worked in machining, trucking, welding, maintenance and line work. The lace-ups weren’t the best fit for all it, so I got some pull-on boots. And my Red Wing collection grew from there.

The way I see it, deciding which boots to wear each day is like choosing the right tool for a job. I’m now with a municipality that needs me to do a variety of work. If I know I’m going to spend the day in a backhoe, I wear my pull-ons. If I’ll be doing electrician work indoors, I go for comfort. And If I’m going to be outside on a ladder, I wear the stiffest and toughest Red Wings I’ve got.

I rotate through eight pairs for work. Some guys wear one pair until they’re trashed, but I only wear the same boots for two days max and then switch off. You get more life from them that way, and it keeps the wear even across all my boots. It also gives them time to dry out, which makes them last longer.

It’s hard for me to part with all these Red Wings, because we’ve been through a lot together and each banged-up pair tells part of my story.

I never set the world on fire. But I think I’ve made a good and steady burn by doing what I can to keep things working. I need to keep working, too, but not for much longer. And you can bet I’ll still be in Red Wings long after I retire.

My Red Wings have protected my feet through every condition imaginable. They’ve been through snow, sludge, mud, muck, water and fresh concrete. They’ve kept my feet dry and comfortable through it all.

Building a better country.

I started out with a pair of 963s. Now I grind away in 2414s and get about two years out of them. I work excavation, road and utility construction. I’m walking miles behind asphalt pavers, on surfaces hotter than 300 degrees. I’m up on icy bridge decks and abutments and down in the trenches on sanitary sewer installs.

I worked for the railroad in North Dakota for a couple years, too. One summer, we did tie inspection across the entire state, walking upwards of 12 miles a day on uneven, jagged rock.

I was there in 2011 to witness the devastating 500-year flood in Minot, North Dakota. We worked tirelessly seven days a week for nearly a month to rebuild damaged track and get trains moving again. I was on a crew assigned to cut out sections of washed-out track — track literally hanging by the rails as floodwaters blew out and eroded the earth embankment below.

I piloted a johnboat through flooded fields and downtown roadways to get my partner to these washout locations to cut away the suspended rail sections. One time, we got caught up in a strong current near a bridge and our motor got overpowered. We were stuck there awhile, holding on to a tree and trying to come up with a game plan. I was convinced we would need a National Guard helicopter rescue team to get us out, but we eventually managed to elude the current and escape.

I wear Red Wing boots because I see them as symbols of quality and value. I take great pride knowing that when I buy these boots, I’m supporting American workers who live and work just 90 miles away from me.

I wear my Red Wings all the time. The 903s are my favorite. On good days, I can walk more than 20,000 steps. On average, I take more than 10,000 steps in my boots each day, in all kinds of weather. I like to say we have six seasons here: sun, rain, mud, sleet, snow, and ice.

Come rain, shine, mud, sleet, snow, or ice.

By day, I’m a land surveyor and civil engineer, working for an earthwork contractor. I’m typically field-staking construction projects, tromping through high wet grass and mud, across plowed fields and dirt roads. You can sprain an ankle easily, but I never have in these boots. And they’re comfortable enough to wear around the office, when I’m drafting the topographic surveys and designing the site plans and runoff control.

Evenings and weekends, I’m tending my Christmas tree farm in those same boots. It’s a lot of hard work I do myself with help from my daughter and my dad. We’re mowing, spraying and shearing constantly. We plant 500 trees every year, along with acres of pumpkins, gourds and corn.

It is always so rewarding after we harvest to see those smiling faces purchasing pumpkins for carving, gourds and straw bales for decorating, and fresh-cut Christmas trees for celebrating the season. My insulated Red Wing boots are with me on the Christmas tree lot to keep my feet warm while selling trees, wreaths, swags, garland and boughs.

I also cut and stack nearly 30 cord of wood in my Red Wings to heat our house every winter. Same goes for when I’m plowing snow and maintaining the equipment. And they’re perfect for all the hunting, fishing, hiking, camping and ATV riding I do.

I don’t sit down very often, but when I do, I’m still wearing these boots. You can’t beat the craftsmanship or the comfort. Thank God for America and the hardworking people in this great country.

I started working as a laborer at 16, on a concrete job. I needed boots, so I went and bought a pair — not the worst, not the best. Then I found out how concrete treats leather and soles, and those boots fell apart fast. They weren’t a perfect fit either, because I have very long and narrow feet and they didn’t come in my exact size.

Standing tall through oversized work demands.

I started asking around about how to get more life out of my next pair. Almost everybody recommended Red Wings.

So I went down to the store in town that carries the brand. When I told the guy in the store I needed size 15s —15B to be exact — we got out the catalog. The lace-ups with steel toe immediately caught my eye. And they could be ordered in my exact size.

A few days later, those Red Wings showed up and went right to work. I couldn’t believe the difference. When you have a boot that actually fits and is well built, it makes you less likely to roll an ankle and you feel more protected and sure on your feet. I had more clarity to focus on the work at hand.

Those boots took in more sun and lime than a Key West margarita that first summer. And that was only the beginning of the abuse my Red Wings would take over the next 18 years. They’ve been in extreme hot and cold, heavy rain and blizzards. They’ve been driven over, axed, bitten and clawed. They’ve walked over chemicals and stomped out red-hot fires. I’ve even had to use my steel toe as a makeshift anvil. And they took it all in stride.

I wore those boots for work up until June of last year. That’s over half of my life spent in one pair of Red Wings. I’m so honored these boots made the wall. I feel like one day they should be bronzed, too.

Construction has been my passion for 25 years. I grew up in a hardworking New York family, joined the military out of high school, and then got started in the trades. I’m proud to say that years later, I’m now the General Superintendent of Construction. (I guess that makes the boss, coming from humble beginnings.) But my proudest moment—and greatest source of humility—was when I served our country by helping cleanup efforts at the World Trade Center site after 9/11.

This pair of boots saved two lives.

I was hired to oversee 1,000 workers doing recovery and cleanup for the South Tower site, working the 3 p.m. to 8 a.m. shift six days a week for the next eight months. It was brutal, both physically and emotionally.

I walked all 16 acres of the jobsite every shift. I started out wearing the free work boots a manufacturer donated to us, but was burning through a pair every four days. One night, a coworker talked me into upgrading to Red Wings. He told me they cost more, but with that you get better comfort, more protection, and a much longer life. I didn’t yet realize how true that last part would be. I bought my first pair of 2292s the next morning, and could feel the difference right away.

A few days later, while walking back from my usual 2 a.m. “lunch break” trip to a nearby deli, I heard a sizzling sound. I looked down, saw I was standing on a metal grate, and then looked up to see a flash of light. Next, I was blown 10 feet into the air and landed on top of a police van parked across the street. I was bruised up, but not badly hurt. I looked around and saw that an electrical transformer had caught fire and exploded.

A growing cloud of dark black smoke had drifted down the street and engulfed the emergency vehicle I had radioed in. The driver wasn’t wearing a respirator, and he passed out from smoke inhalation as the truck rolled into the flames. I threw on my mask and rushed to carry the driver to safety. Then my mask broke, I breathed in the black smoke and was unconscious, too.

Fortunately, other emergency personnel had arrived on the scene by this time. I woke up in the hospital. Both the driver and I made a full recovery.

When I was back at work three days later, I found out that the grate I stood on that night was lit up with 1,480 amps — 4,000 volts — of electricity. Just 1/8 of an amp can cause a heart attack. Luckily, my 2292s offered electrical hazard protection up to 20,000 volts.

‘Happy you bought those Red Wings?’ my coworker asked me. ‘They literally saved your life.’ Yes, they did. Mine and someone else’s. They would also end up lasting 15 times longer than any other boots I wore at that jobsite.

I am now on my 35th pair of Red Wing 2292s. I buy two pairs a year whether I need them or not.

Someday I would love to come to your factory, find someone who worked there 17 years ago, and shake that guy’s hand for taking so much pride in his work. Because that is what this country is about. And without that quality, none of what I have today would even exist—because I don’t exist. These are the guys who keep America going.

I have three brothers and we’re all tradesman. One is a mechanic, one is a welder, and one is a farmer. I’ve been a carpenter since 1982. That’s 36 years and counting.

I always knew I’d go into the trades. I love working with my hands and the feeling of accomplishing something at the end of the day.

Hard work runs deep.

And then there are my kids. I’ve been in business for myself for 19 years, and I now work with two of my sons trimming and installing cabinets in new houses. This year alone, we did the interior trim and cabinet work for more than 100 houses. Since 1998 when I moved to Colorado, we’ve worked on close to 1,000 houses.

Working with my kids gives me an opportunity to teach them right while spending quality time together. I take great pride in seeing how much pride they take in their work. I will have full confidence when the day comes to let them take over.

Red Wing boots also runs in this family. My Dad bought me my first pair when I was a kid working on our family dairy farm. Today my Dad, my three brothers, and my three sons all wear Red Wings.

I wear 606s because I like the lace-up style with a rounded toe. Being on my feet all day is tough and other footwear just doesn’t hold up.

When I start something, I always finish it. And this applies as much to my projects as it does my career. I started out as a carpenter, and it’s looking like I’m going to retire as one, too.

My father bought his first pair of Red Wings in 1952. He liked brands with longevity and only spent money on products that last.

He kept that first pair of 854 lace-ups for 50 years. The local newspaper found out about this and wrote up a story, and the local Red Wing store put his boots on display. As far as I know, they’re still there.

Three generations, 90 years and counting.

I wear 877s for work, hunting and hiking, which are similar to my father’s 854s. They’re great on rocky surfaces. Originally, I worked in roofing and the flat sole of the Red Wings really stuck to the metal surface of the sloped roof. Other guys were slipping and sliding as I walked right past them.

I’ve been wearing Red Wings for 30 years now. I’ve worn lace-ups, slip-ons, and steel-toe boots. All of them are comfortable. I worked at Mercedes-Benz for 20 years. Now I’m with a different company that makes specialty insulation for temperature-sensitive medical products.

My 26-year-old son only wears Red Wings now, too, and he’s already put in 10 years. That’s three generations… and counting. I say that because it won’t be long before my grandson is old enough for his own pair.

My grandmother gave me money to buy work boots when I graduated from the Maine Maritime Academy in 2012. I bought a pair of 2211s, and she insisted on wrapping up the box and having me open it. Inside the box were the boots and a note. ‘Make us proud,’ it read.

These boots traveled the world.

That summer I worked the tugs in New York Harbor. In these boots, I took in the Statue of Liberty, the Hudson River, and the New York City skyline for the first time.

I was really glad I had those Red Wings on three years later. I was working on an 80-foot aluminum ferry in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, that day before a hurricane was due to hit. An anchor broke free and sent me flying. The steel toe of my boot caught the railing long enough for another deck hand to keep me from going headfirst into the 15-foot waves.

Now I see the world when I look at these boots, because these boots have seen the world with me. From the North Sea to the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, and walking throughout Europe. I see the ships I called home. The tugs, the ferries, the barges. The hard work. I see the people who helped me when I needed it, and the people I helped in return.

I also see my grandmother. She may have passed on, but I feel like she was right there with me on every step of my journey. And I hope I made her proud.

I started volunteering with the Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity affiliated in 2004. When you hand the keys to a new homeowner: that is a feeling that money can’t buy. The joy you get from making such a huge difference for a family is in a category all its own.

These boots build hope. Lots of it.

I bought my first pair of Red Wings in 2007. These boots have gone everywhere with me and I am on the third sole. They are still as comfortable as when I got them. I wear them every weekend I work with Habitat, in all kinds of weather for every kind of task on a house — from framing the first day of the build to landscaping on the last day.

My Red Wings are perfect for what I do. As a house leader, I am all over the build site, up and down ladders and walking over uneven surfaces to make sure everyone stays on task. The flat soles are easy on shingles when I am on the roof but have plenty of traction to avoid slipping.

I also do volunteer construction work with church. My boots have made several trips to Brazil for construction projects ranging from working on church buildings and maintenance projects to my favorite work: building pews for new churches. Most of the projects are completed on concrete floors, so after eight hours of walking and moving material, a durable and comfortable pair of boots makes all the difference in the world.

I also participate in the Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Work Project (CWP) with Habitat for Humanity International. My Red Wings have gone on multiple domestic and international builds with CWP. Those included building with cement blocks in Thailand, along with two trips to Haiti where we built more than 200 homes.

The 2017 CWP was in Canada, where they have strict requirements for steel toes and puncture-resistant soles. So I had to leave my original boots at home and invested in a second pair. Now I have great memories tied to both pairs.

I try to stay in touch with the people we build for and the groups that I build with. It’s a good feeling to do good things for good people with good people.

Some people think demo work is as simple as showing up somewhere and knocking something over. There’s way more to it than that.

These boots helped clear the way for recovery.

I think of demolition as reverse-engineering somebody else’s construction project. Building happens from the ground up, but we work from the top down. There’s always one best way to take each structure apart, but you don’t know the answer at the start. It reveals itself as you go.

The work is dangerous and each job is unique. You’re always deciding what can and can’t be taken down at any moment. Even removing the wrong window at the wrong time could cause everything to crumble.

One job that has stuck with me was work I did on the 35W bridge in Minneapolis that collapsed in 2007. It is always hard to demolish a structure, but the fact that this was a tragedy made it even harder. We put in 15-hour days until everything was cleared away. Emergency response personnel worked alongside us for part of the project, due to the good chance we’d find casualties.

We cut the bridge apart all the way to the river bottom and loaded the pieces onto barges with cranes. It was physically and emotionally draining, but we got the work done right. And I did my part in my Red Wing pull-on boots.

I used to think all work boots were the same before a coworker talked sense into me. My Red Wings have been a game changer ever since. They keep me safe and sure on my feet, and they make long workdays a lot less painful.

Now I buy a new pair of 2405s every two years. I also signed up to test out new Red Wing products on the job. I figure if they can handle the punishment I dish out, they’re probably ready for everyone else.

I’ve been a tree man for 43 years. I started after high school with Davey Tree Service in Florida. Then I moved to North Carolina in 1983, went into business for myself, and have been at it ever since.

These boots got one man’s career off the ground.

Emergency storm cleanup is some of the hardest work I’ve done. For instance, one time I did a 19-hour shift clearing lines after a tornado cut off power to a hospital. It was still very windy, but we tied ourselves in and got the job done anyway.

The day-to-day work can be just as dangerous. When you’re 40 feet up and working right next to a ‘hot’ power line, you need to keep safety at the top of your mind at all times.

The younger guys now use ropes to get into the canopy, but I’m old school and still climb the trunk like I was taught. This takes a good set of spurs and the toughest boots you can find to protect your legs and feet.

I’m thankful that the first company I worked for issued Red Wings. Because it taught me from the start that work boots are as important to my safety as harnesses and gaffs. That’s why Red Wing is the only brand I’ve ever worn on the job.

And these boots can take a beating. In fact, I bought the pair I’m wearing now in 1990! I’m starting to wonder whether my Red Wings will outlast me.

I leave you with this final thought:

One day these boots and I will have climbed our last.
Then we’ll look back and say, ‘Boy, that went fast!’
So, whatever you are called in this life to do,
Give it your all ‘til the day that you’re through.

I’m a fourth-generation tradesman in an extended family full of people in the trades. And although I’m only 19 years old, I’m picking up more tricks of the trade every day working alongside my father. I’ve been helping him out with his carpentry business for five years now.

Building on tradition.

Dad and I do everything from framing to finishing, just the two of us. We mostly work on kitchen, bathroom and basement remodels. In my opinion, remodels are way harder than new constructions. With a 100-year-old house, for example, things will be out of whack and there’s going to be workarounds. You have to really get creative and rely on your skills to deliver an end result that looks better than the original.

I’ve got a hammer in my hand every day of the week, and I’m always thinking about how to get better. In my spare time, I love to watch YouTube videos of expert carpenters and blacksmiths, which have taught me all kinds of new approaches to things that I’m putting to use.

Since day one, Dad has worn Red Wing boots. He taught me that work boots are a tool just like my hammer, saw and level. He says it doesn’t make sense to skimp on any of this equipment.

We both wear 4200 steel-toe lace-ups. Mine work as hard as I do, and they’ve really held up after taking a beating. My boots have also saved my feet from nails and falling drywall. Without them, I would’ve definitely broken bones.

Even though my feet are bigger than my father’s, I know I will have very large shoes to fill many years from now when I take over this business. In the meantime, I feel lucky to be learning from the best—and to already be doing what I love for a living at such a young age.

On the average day, my boots walk 18,500 steps and climb 85 flights of stairs. They get caked in dirt, concrete, sludge, floods and spills of all kinds. The leather is dinged up, the steel toes dented. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. Because we’re at our best when the going is the toughest.

If these boots could talk.

I worked construction through high school and was hired into an apprenticeship program through the carpenters union local at 21. I spent the next decade learning everything from foundations and exterior framing to ceiling tile. Now I’m a general foreman for large-scale projects, where I’m often in charge of 100 people. We recently did the HaborCenter sports complex in downtown Buffalo, along with the UB School of Medicine nearby, which is 10 stories high and covers almost 12 city blocks.

Here’s something else I’ve learned: you can tell a lot about someone by looking at their feet. How hard they work, how smart they work, how much pride they take in what they do. It’s all written on those boots.

Me, I’m all Red Wing. My first pair was a gift from my mom 10 years ago. I wore other brands before that and was surprised how fast they fell apart and how much they hurt my feet. Then Red Wings came into my life and I never looked back.

I wear insulated 9-inch loggers for the extra arch and ankle support. They saved me when an 80-pound drywall sheet decided to crack in two and land on my feet. I’ve also walked over rebar with all my weight and kept right on walking, because my Red Wings took the punishment. When it looks like I’m going to be in the muck or chemicals for the day, I switch over to Injex polyurethane boots.

Here’s one more tip: a boot dryer. No matter how wet my boots get by quitting time, they’re bone-dry and ready to go the next morning. But most of all, invest in good work boots. They make all the difference when the hours get extra long and work extra demanding. They also say a lot about who you are.

I was working at a truss factory for 10 hours a day on a concrete floor. I wore old tennis shoes for the job, and my feet were killing me. My brother-in-law recommended Red Wing boots, so I bought a pair. The difference was unbelievable. The pain in my feet and calves disappeared instantly.

Thirty-five years of hard work and no pain.

That was 35 years ago, and I still have that first pair. I’ve had many other Red Wings over the years, but I couldn’t part with these originals. The soles are still in pretty good shape and they still fit like a glove.

After I left the truss factory, I got a degree in safety science and spent 27 years at two oil refineries, with every step taken in Red Wing boots. Now I work for an alternative energy startup, where we’re building a one-megawatt power plant that will be twice as efficient as a coal-fired plant.

I set up the entire safety program myself — and since I know firsthand what a difference the right work boots will make, you guessed it. I made sure our whole team got fitted for Red Wings.

My mom worked at a diner when I was a kid, so Dad took me with him to the shop where he worked as an auto mechanic. At first, he kept me busy with oil changes and cleanup, but over time I showed an eagerness to learn and took on harder jobs.

These boots kept a seaside community running.

Now I’m a diesel mechanic for a resort town where the local population swells from 5,000 to 250,000 people in the summer. There is no time for downtime, especially during the busy season. It is my job to keep all the equipment running across all four seasons — everything from police, fire and EMS vehicles to every public works vehicle that operates in town, on the beach and on the water.

I take great pride in putting taxpayer dollars to good use by keeping our fleet well-maintained and performing like new, so that we can get the longest life out of it. I treat every piece of equipment like it’s my own. I expect the best from both the vehicles and myself.

The same goes for all the tools of my trade, including what I wear on my body and my feet. My dad only wears Red Wing boots, which is a habit he picked up from his father, an aircraft mechanic. So I spent my first paycheck on my first pair of Traction Tred 10875s. That was 15 years ago. These 10875s and insulated 1441s are the only two styles I’ve worn since. And just like the vehicles I maintain, you’ll get a long life out of these boots if you take good care of them.

I will always be loyal to Red Wing, because I know from experience that the quality will be there. My boots haven’t let me down yet, and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon.

The power plants I now work in produce 1300 megawatts of electricity, enough for about a million homes. Basically, when anyone in the city of Savannah flips on a light, I’m at the other end of it.

Endless energy.

I was in the U.S. Navy for 10 years doing power generation work. After that I worked for General Electric, and I’ve been with Georgia Power since 2004. And my Red Wings have been with me at every step.

When I started working at my first power plant, everyone said Red Wing was the brand to get. I’ve been buying the same style since 2001, and I bought my current pair 11 years ago. I recently had them resoled and reconditioned. Now they look like they could last another decade.

In my latest job, I do whatever work needs to be done to operate and maintain these plants. I’m climbing stairs and ladders on structures that are up to 150 feet high. It’s hot in the summer and there’s ice in the winter. It’s a heavy industrial environment, so there is also a lot of oil and grease. My boots give me great footing for all of this. And at end of the day, my feet still feel good.

My son will graduate from tech school soon, and he already has a maintenance job lined up with a transformer manufacturing plant. He recently bought his first pair of Red Wings. He let me know they won’t be his last pair, either, so the tradition continues.

I was two years old in 1954 when my father started working as an electrical lineman. Every morning I watched him put on his Red Wings, and every night I watched him take them off after work.

Like father, like son, like son.

By the time I was five, I knew I would be a lineman, too. I started my first job in 1970 with my first pair of Red Wings, just like Dad.

One of the toughest jobs these boots got me through was the ice storm of 1976. I drove 14 hours to Saginaw, Michigan. The ice was so thick on the poles I had to chip it off with my hook every step I took. I remember one alley-arm pole in particular. It wasn’t really safe, but Saginaw was counting on us. So I climbed out there and my crew pulled the wire. I was just hanging there, see-sawing.

We worked 100 hours in five days. The first night we ate dinner at the only restaurant open on the interstate. Everyone got up and let us eat first, they were so grateful to have us there helping. That’s a treasured memory from that job. So is the time an elderly widow asked for help turning her breaker box back on. She had been staying warm with quilts and a Coleman heater for weeks.

When I went to the basement to find the box and found three feet of standing water, the woman let me borrow her late husband’s hip waders. His feet were size 9 and mine are size 12. But I somehow managed to squeeze into them and get to the breaker. It made both our days when the lights came on and the sump pump kicked in. Getting out of those waders was another story. It was like skinning a squirrel.

This is the real source of joy I’ve gotten from this line of work. It is all about helping people.

In 1998, my son became a lineman. That’s three generations of Windell lineman, all in Red Wings. I’m so glad I followed in my dad’s footsteps, and that my son chose to follow in mine.

I’ve been in telecommunications for 18 years. I’ve spent the last dozen years working outside, specializing in copper telephone repair and fiber optic installation and maintenance. More women like me are now doing this kind of work. The most important piece of equipment I use every day are my Red Wing boots.

Answering the call of public service.

They keep my feet comfortable, safe, and dry. Red Wing is the only brand I’ve worn in all my years as an outside tech. These boots are the only reason I’m able to work the hours I do. I’m up on ladders, down in manholes, digging, walking. If you don’t get high-quality footwear, you’re going to be miserable. I’ve seen it firsthand with my coworkers.

I usually wear steel toe lace-ups. I see the same salesperson every time I need a new pair. She’s great. She knows me by name and already has information on file about my sizing and what styles I bought in the past. You just don’t get that kind of experience from other stores.

My Red Wing boots have traveled the country with me from Florida to California to Virginia and back again. They were with me in 2012, when I volunteered to help with disaster relief after Hurricane Sandy. My team was working 95 hours a week restoring service. Being from Florida, I had never seen a basement before. But on Long Island, every house had one. We were up and down the stairs all day.

I tell this to everyone I can: When you’re taking care of others, you need boots that take care of you. Especially in my line of work. What you wear on your feet isn’t an expense. It’s an investment, plain and simple.

I’ve been wearing Red Wing boots throughout my 27 years in construction and as a volunteer fireman. My first pair were pull-ons and I went through three sets of soles. I just couldn’t let them go.

These boots went all the way to the South Pole and back.

I joined the IBEW electrical workers’ union at 19 and did low-voltage electrical work for 10 years. After that, I wired several hospitals, including the VA and Kaiser Hospitals in California. I also did a number of high-rise buildings in Denver after I left IBEW. I wore that first pair of Red Wings for all of this work. They lasted me 15 years.

One of the most interesting jobs over my career was when I installed a fire alarm system at the NSF Research Facility at the South Pole. I was issued other boots for my time outdoors, but I wore my Red Wings for all the indoor work and travel time.

In addition to my technician work, I now volunteer as a fireman on nights and weekends. For this work, I bought a pair of lace-up Red Wing Loggers. I chose these boots because of their high ankle support and Vibram soles that keep me sure on my feet. This is critical because I live in the mountains and the calls often take me to rocky and uneven surfaces throughout the community.

I also wear Red Wings because I’m big on integrity. I expect this not only from myself, but from the products and the people I surround myself with on the job. These boots may not be the cheapest around, but you definitely get what you pay for.

When people are experiencing tough moments in their life, I feel honored to be helping them however I can.

I’ve been a firefighter at this location for 13 years. Every time the alarm rings, the first thing you hear is all of our boots zipping up. Most of us wear Red Wings, just like me.

Every scar tells a story.

Our firehouse is in the heart of this city, near a lot of busy freeways and the refineries. On many shifts we are up all night responding to ambulance calls, fires, car accidents, even explosions. I’ve seen every part of life doing this — including when it gets taken too soon. When we get back in the rack at the station, it’s somehow comforting to see all our boots lined up and motionless, waiting to spring into action again when the next call comes in. And we know one will.

My Red Wings are a salty pair. Everything about them tells a story. There are divots all over the leather. Scars from bouncing off the fire engine tailboard. And my soles are worn uneven from slouching at the end of a 24-hour shift.

It’s no coincidence my dad wore Red Wings, too. He was a welder for 30 years. His boots were part of him, with the burn marks to prove it. For me, they became a symbol of the pride he took in working so hard at his job. I know he’d be proud that I turned out the same.

I’ve worn Red Wings for 15 years. As a Local 250 union steamfitter, I believe in buying American-made.

A marathon every other day. For three years.

I tried some other brands, but they just don’t compare. These are tough, tough boots. I’ve worn them through miles of mud. I’ve had hot slag from welded pipe drip on them, and fresh asphalt stick to the soles. I’ve had screws stuck in the heels. My feet have always stayed safe.

I’ve worked all over L.A., from USC and UCLA to the second-largest crime lab at Cal State L.A.

But out of all my jobs, I’m proudest of the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. It’s a six-story facility with thousands of feet of pipe. We ran water lines and steam lines. We did brazed copper. And we even helped set the cooling towers in place. I walked 20,000 steps a day, easy, for three and a half years. That’s one marathon every two days, all on stairs. I’m a foreman and I have to be everywhere at once.

Extra attention was paid to make everything perfect, just like it should be. It was really rewarding. I see the hospital all the time. When I drive by, I look at it and think, I helped build that. And they are saving kids’ lives every day.

I’ve been on the oilfield for 15 years and worked my way up to driller. My schedule is usually 14 days on, followed by 14 days off. It’s hard to be away from my wife and five kids like that, but providing for them is what gets me through those longs days, which can easily go 16 hours.

Long hours, grueling work. These boots know the drill.

Rig 391 has become my home away from home. It is my job to follow it and get it producing wherever it ends up. I’ve gotten to know this rig very well. Like all on them, 391 sings its own tune when it’s running like it should. I can tell by ear if the song is out of sync in any way.

I supervise six people, a great group of guys. This is one of the most dangerous industries you can work in, so you have keep your head on a swivel and look out for one another at all times. We’re like a second family.

In this line of work, every day is different. Some are rougher than others. But at the end of each day, my feet are protected and in good shape because I only wear boots from Red Wing. Same goes for the rest of my crew. We always have lots to talk about when a shift is over, but none of us complain about our feet, even when the conditions were brutal.

Whenever a new guy shows up in low-quality work boots, I tell him that the best thing he can do is go with Red Wing. You might pay a bit more, I say, but you get what you pay for. Which is having one less thing to worry about when you’re doing a job that is hard enough already

Three feet below what is now center ice at Xcel Center in downtown St. Paul, Tom McCarthy’s last pair of Red Wing boots rest in a time capsule. He said it was probably the 45th pair of Red Wings he owned.

A fitting tribute from a remarkable man.

Tom took those same Red Wings on a hiking trip to Ireland in 1991. He planned to retire the boots in some meaningful way when he got back to Minnesota, as a tribute to his 45-year career as a steamfitter-pipefitter and all the hardworking people he met in the trades.

Back home, Tom mentioned his plans to his son-in-law, a tradesman who was working construction for the new hockey arena being built for the Minnesota Wild NHL team. Tom, a longtime sports fan and avid supporter of local tradesman, knew right away he had found the place to retire his boots.

On August 8, 1999, Tom walked to the center of the construction site and buried a cardboard box containing his Red Wings and retirement card from the United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters and Sprinkler Fitters. The box is labeled “Big Mac’s Boots,” with the interment date written immediately beneath those words.

Tom’s craft was in his blood. He was a self-described “third-generation Irish blue-collar worker,” a devoted leader and tireless advocate for the people of the Local 455. Tom followed in the footsteps of his father (also named Tom McCarthy) and Uncle Gerald O’Donnell. All three men were journeymen pipefitters, Minnesota advocates and elected officials of Local 455. He passed down his passion for hard work to his nine children, 21 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren, many of whom now work in the trades.

During his career, Tom worked on projects ranging from the World Trade Center in St. Paul to several nuclear power plants throughout Minnesota. He was also an apprentice trainer for 23 years, developing a reputation as a tough but fair instructor who saw to it that young people learned the trades the right way.

Tom had a favorite motto: “Know where your head, hands and heart are.” He always knew where his boots were, too. When he took them off after work, he would lace them back up with care and set them in the exact same location. His 877s were as much a part of his uniform as his thermos and lunchbox.

Tom proudly paid his union dues right up to the day he passed. His wish was to be cremated. His son, also a pipefitter, built him an urn out of pipes that was fit for a king.

I’ve had one pair of Red Wings for almost 20 years. They’ve been with me on cement trucks and when I was a diesel mechanic. Over the last 14 years, I’ve really put them to the test working with terrazzo.

These boots are caked with a hard day’s work.

Terrazzo is flooring made from colored marble, glass or synthetic chips on top of a cement or epoxy base. It is poured, ground, and polished to a shine that basically lasts forever.

I’ll be first to admit this is really hard work that not many people like doing. But the work has to get done, and I’ve gotten good at it. Plus, the finished results look incredible.

To me, this has never been just about getting a paycheck. It has always been about the satisfaction that comes from getting the job done right.

That’s why I’m so proud of the awards I’ve helped my company win from the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association. I may be proudest of the “Job of the Year” award we took home for a complex project at the Kalahari Resort in the Wisconsin Dells, where we finished a 9,600-square-foot floor on a tight schedule that included 41 different colors of tinted resin.

I’ve worked with a lot of people who won’t spend money on a good pair of boots, but I’m the opposite. Since I’m on my feet for 10 hours or more every day with my boots soaking in epoxy, cement and water, I consider my boots one of the smartest investments I’ve ever made.